Vera M.E. Velasco PhD

 

Vera in lab
Vera M.E. Velasco studying roots on seedlings grown on phosphate-deficient gel media, 2012

Vera Velasco is the Senior Research Associate for Greenhouse Operations at University of Toronto - Mississauga.  She received her BSc in Plant Genetics and Molecular Biology from the University of the Philippines where she characterized the genetic differences among several accessions of the Pili tree (Canarium ovatum) under the supervision of Dr. Merlyn Mendioro. She received her PhD in Plant Biology at McMaster University.  During her doctoral studies with Dr. Elizabeth Weretilnyk, she investigated the acclimation of Arabidopsis and Eutrema to phosphorus and sulfur deficiencies.   Vera was also a postdoc in the Department of Biology at the University of Toronto in Mississauga with Dr. Ingo Ensminger where she studied the physiology and transcriptome of various Douglas-fir varieties under extreme climatic conditions.  

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

  1. Velasco VME, Ferreira A, Zaman S, Noordermeer D, Ensminger I and Wegrzyn JL (2023) A long-read and short-read transcriptomics approach provides the first high-quality reference transcriptome and genome annotation for Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir). G3 Genes| Genomes| Genetics jkac304
  2. D’Odorico P, Schönbeck L, Vitali V, Meusburger K, Schaub M, Ginzler C, Zweifel R, Velasco VME, Gisler J, Gessler A, Ensminger I (2021) Drone-based physiological index reveals long-term acclimation and drought stress responses in trees. Plant, Cell and Environment 44: 3552-3570
  3. Noordermeer D & Velasco VME, Ensminger I (2021) Autumn warming delays down-regulation of photosynthesis without negative effects of freezing tolerance in interior and coastal Douglas-fir. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 4:688534
  4. Velasco VME, Irani S, Axakova A, da Silva R, Summer P, Weretilnyk EA (2020) Evidence that tolerance of Eutrema salsugineum to low phosphate conditions is hard-wired by constitutive metabolic and root-associated adaptations. Planta 251:18
  5. Velasco VME, Mansbridge J, Bremner S, Carruthers K, Summers P, Sung W, Champigny M, Weretilnyk EA (2016) Acclimation of the crucifer Eutrema salsugineum to phosphate limitation is associated with constitutively high expression of phosphate starvation genes. Plant, Cell and Environment 39: 1818-1834
  6. Mendioro MS, Diaz MGQ, Velasco VME, Alcaraz MC, Lalamunan RC, Amoloza KG, Villamael LN (2008) Genetic characterization of pili (Canarium ovatum Engl.) from Albay, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur through isozyme analysis. Philippine Journal of Science 137: 115-125
  7. Velasco VME (2017) Traits underlying phosphorus use by the extremophyte Eutrema salsugineum. Ph.D. Dissertation. McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
  8. Velasco VME (2003) Genetic characterization of Pili (Canarium ovatum Engl.) (Burseraceae) by isozyme analysis. B.Sc. Thesis.  University of the Philippines Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

To technical audiences

  1. Velasco VME (2025).  Station report.  North Central Extension & Research Activity–101 (NCERA-101): Committee for Controlled Environment Technology and Use.  Monterrey, Mexico.
  2. Proskurina M, Ong SC, Velasco VME (2024) Differences in photosynthetic responses in broadleaf and needleleaf plants to near totality solar eclipse.  CSPB Meeting, online.
  3. Proskurina M, Ong SC, Velasco VME (2024) Photosynthetic and light responses to near totality solar eclipse. UTM Biology Summer Research Day.
  4. Suliguin AP, Hemani J, Millar G, Ong SP, Vasta S, Yu A, Velasco VME (2023) Growing research plants under LED grow lights elicit variable chlorophyll fluorescence response. CSPB Meeting, Laval, QC
  5. Velasco VME, Noordermeer D, Sen T, Tongson EJ, Fuentes S, Ensminger I (2022) Douglas-fir does not recover from co-occurring heat and drought with rewatering. Botany, Anchorage, AK, USA
  6. Velasco VME (invited speaker, 2021) Effects of simulation of future climate to physiology of conifer tree Douglas-fir.  Temp Check: Climate Change, University of the Philippines Diliman, Zoom
  7. Velasco VME, Noordermeer D, Sen T, Ensminger I (2021) Varying levels of plasticity in water- and light-related traits responsive to heat and drought among Douglas-fir varieties.  Botany – Virtual!
  8. Velasco VME, Sen T, Noordermeer D, Ensminger I (2020) Comparison of gene expression among Douglas-fir provenances under climate stressors.  Plant Biology Worldwide Summit.  Zoom
  9. Velasco VME, Sen T, Noordermeer D, Ensminger I (2019) Time machine: Comparative physiology and transcriptomics of Douglas-fir under future climate.  University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
  10. Velasco VME, Sen T, Noordermeer D, Ensminger I (2019) Photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence of coastal and interior Douglas-fir under extreme heatwave. CSPB Meeting, St. Catherines, ON
  11. Velasco VME, Sen T, Noordermeer D, Ensminger I (2018) Variation in photosynthesis and water status in response to a simulated heatwave in seedlings of coastal and interior Douglas-fir.  CSPB Meeting, London, ON
  12. Velasco VME, Sen T, Noordermeer D, Ensminger I (2018) Variation in temperature, water regulation and photosynthesis among contrasting Douglas-fir provenances under extreme summer heatwave.  Plant Biology, Montreal, QC
  13. Velasco VME, Axacova A, Summers P, Weretilnyk I (2018) Phosphorus use efficiency traits in the extremophyte Eutrema salsugineum.  Plant Biology, Montreal, QC
  14. Weretilnyk EA & Velasco VME (2017) Adaptations towards low phosphate soils: Insights from the extremophyte Eutrema salsugineum.  International Botanical Congress, Shenzhen, China
  15. Velasco VME, Summers P, Weretilnyk EA (2016) Adaptation of Eutrema salsugineum to extreme abiotic conditions includes tolerance to low phosphate. Plant Biotech, Kingston, ON
  16. Velasco VME, Summers P, Weretilnyk EA (2015) Eutrema salsugineum: Extreme capacity for stress tolerance may involve modest capacity for change. CSPB Meeting, Toronto, ON
  17. Velasco VME, Summers P, Weretilnyk EA (2014) Phenotypic and gene expression responses of extremophile Eutrema salsugineum to phosphate limitation.  Plant Biology, Portland, OR, USA
  18. Velasco VME, Summers P, Weretilnyk EA (2012). The effect of low phosphate conditions on the growth of the extremophile crucifer Thellungiella salsuginea. CSPB Meeting, Waterloo, ON

To general audiences and stakeholders

  1. Proskurina M and Ong S, Velasco VME (2024). Colors of the light and plant light use efficiency during a near total solar eclipse. UTM Solar Eclipse Viewing Party.
  2. Velasco VME, Noordermeer D, Ensminger I (2019) Comparative transcriptomics of Douglas-fir. CoAdapTree symposium:  Healthy trees for future climates. Vancouver, BC
  3. Velasco VME, Noordermeer D, Ensminger I (2019) Interspecific variation in the response of Douglas-fir to climatic extremes.  CoAdapTree Science Meeting, Zoom
  4. Velasco VME, Ensminger I (2018) Phenotyping and comparative transcriptomics of coastal and interior Douglas-fir provenances under elevated temperature and water deficit. CoAdapTree Science Meeting, Zoom